Criminal Witness
by Imagigirl20
Summary: Gordon and Bullock try to help a girl, who witnessed a murder, when she is threatened by a masked man. After the girl's apartment is found trashed, Bruce Wayne volunteers to hide her at Wayne Manor...unaware that an old enemy is heading his way, or who this mysterious girl will actually turn out to be...
1. Chapter 1

**Criminal Witness**

 **by Imagigirl20**

 **Hey, guys! I'm back. Again. Sorry I've been away for a while, but I have been so busy with my job's training period. The good news is, I'm about to switch to a shift where I have more free time! The bad news is, I still don't have a computer of my own, so...I am currently borrowing my sister's computer, which she has been so kind to lend me. Anyway, I've hit a fork in the road with my current stories, so I'm taking up my old rule: When in doubt, roll something else out! This particular fanfic has been sitting in my head for a good while, and I am eager to share it with you. I hope you enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing pertaining to Gotham or its affiliates. Takes place before Ra's al Ghul's death and during Jerome's return**

Detective Jim Gordon glanced over at the clock and rubbed his eyes. When the clock struck 12:35 am, he picked up his jacket and threw it over his shoulder.

"Well, Harvey", he said, knocking on the captain's door, "I'm callin' it a night."

"Yeah, alright", said Harvey, looking over a file. "You get some rest, partner. I'll see you bright and ear-"

"HELP ME!"

The two men looked at each other and ran out into the corridor. A young woman had burst into the police station, sobbing hysterically and barely able to stand.

"He's after me!" she yelled. "Help me, please, I need HELP!"

"Hey, take it easy!"

Harvey came up to meet her, catching her by the shoulders before she collapsed to the floor.

"Who's after you?" said Gordon. "What's going on?"

"I saw him", the girl muttered, "I s-s-saw him KILL that man!"

"Whoa, hang on", said Bullock, "who killed who, here?"

"A man in a mask", said the girl. "He killed that man, he saw me. He's coming for me! I gotta get out of here!"

The girl struggled to break free from Bullock's grasp, but he kept a firm hold on her.

"Easy!" Bullock said. "We can help you!"

"NO ONE CAN HELP ME!"

Without warning, the girl punched him in the face. Gordon sprang into action and tackled her to the ground before she could run away.

"Damn it, can we get some help over here?!" said Bullock.

Gordon kept a firm grip on the girl's waist as she screamed.

"LET ME GO! NO ONE CAN HELP ME!"

Lucius Fox broke through the forming crowd and knelt down by the girl's side, jamming a syringe into her leg. The girl cried out, but then fell silent as the sedative took effect. Gordon let her go and stood up. He helped Harvey to his feet, who was rubbing his jaw.

"What the hell just happened?" he said.

 **8 Minutes Earlier**

A young college student walked down the street, clutching her backpack. It was 12:27 am, and she was on her way home from a late-night study session. As she turned a corner and passed a large brown fence, she heard a clatter. The girl stopped and turned towards the sound. After a few moments, she heard nothing else. Thinking nothing of it, she continued on her way. As she passed the house beside the fence, she heard a man's scream.

" _Oh, my God_!" she thought. " _What the-?"_

The girl screamed as a man's body crashed through the window of the house beside her. Dropping her backpack, the girl stooped down.

"Sir?!" she said. "Are you alright?!"

She gasped as she flipped him over to find a knife in his head. The girl screamed and tripped over her own feet as she scrambled away from him. A man in a jekyll's mask stared at her from the broken window.

The girl clawed at the grass as she struggled to get to her feet, abandoning her backpack. A knife hit the fence as she ran by it. The girl screamed for help as she ran in the opposite direction. Looking over her shoulder, she saw the figure in the mask pursuing her. The girl failed to see a passing car as she ran right into the road. She rolled off the hood as the car jerked to a halt. Clutching her side, the girl got up and continued to run, half-limping, down to the police station.

"HELP ME!" the girl screamed as she burst through the doors of the police station.

Her head spun as an officer gripped her by the shoulders to keep her from falling. Suddenly, she found herself in the hands of the masked man. The girl screamed and lashed out, connecting with his jaw. Another officer plowed into her, knocking the breath out of her. She continued to scream and struggle, now seeing the man everywhere. And then suddenly, she felt a pain in her leg. Her vision became blurry and she lost control of her limbs. The last thing she saw was the clear face of Detective Jim Gordon before she lost consciousness.

 **45 Minutes Later**

The girl groaned as she stirred awake, and immediately panicked as she found herself in handcuffs. As she frantically struggled to get away, a hand came down on her arm. The girl stopped and stared at Jim Gordon, who was seated across from her.

"Easy", he said. "Sorry about the restraints, but you punched my partner the last time we spoke."

The girl gasped and put her cuffed hands over her mouth.

"Oh, my God!" she said. "I am so sorry, I-I didn't mean-"

"Water under the bridge", said Harvey, still rubbing his sore jaw. "Now you mind tellin' me what you were talkin' about earlier?"

"You came in here screaming about a man in a mask being after you", said Gordon.

At this, the girl tensed up.

"You wanna tell us what happened?"

The girl gulped and began to tell the story of how she came across a dead body on her way home. She told them about the man in the mask who chased her and the knife he threw. When she mentioned that she had been hit by a car while running to the station, Gordon called for a medic.

"After I saw that knife in his head, I ran like hell", said the girl, shaking her head. "I've-never been...more scared in my...in my-"

Her head slumped down onto the desk as Bullock and Gordon rushed over to her. Her pulse was low, and they noticed a huge bruise on her side. Her shirt had been torn during the chase.

"Get that medic in here now!" Bullock screamed.

A few hours later, Bullock and Gordon were in the waiting room. The girl had suffered minor injuries and a concussion, but the doctors said she would be fine with a little rest. The two police officers stood as a nurse approached them.

"You can go in now, detectives", she said.

 ****"Thanks", said Gordon as he walked past her to the girl's room.

The girl was sitting up in her hospital bed glancing nervously at the window when the two men came in. She flinched when she heard them approach.

"Easy", said Gordon, holding his hands up. "We just want to ask you a few more questions, if you don't mind."

The girl hesitated, but then nodded.

"Alright, let's start with an easy one", said Bullock. "What's your name?"

The girl turned toward them.

"Harleen", she said. "My name is Harleen Quinzel."

 **So, this is my origin story for Harley Quinn, before she became who she is, of course. What do you think? Eager for more? Any suggestions for an out-of-practice fanfic writer? Let me know! Until next time.**

 **-Imagigirl20**


	2. Chapter 2

**Criminal Witness**

 **by Imagigirl20**

 **No reviews, so I'll just continue on. Enjoy!**

"It was awful."

Harleen Quinzel shivered as Detective Gordon handed her a mug and pulled the blanket draped over her shoulders closer to her body.

"Can you tell us what happened, in as much detail as possible?" said Detective Gordon.

"I-I don't know", said Harleen. "It all happened s-s-so fast-"

"It's okay", said Bullock. "Take all the time you need."

Harleen nodded.

"I-I was walking home from a late-night study session at Gotham University", she began. "It was cold and dark, and I decided to take a shortcut through this neighborhood I walk through sometimes. I'm not gonna lie: Something felt off right from the start, but I decided to put it off and get home as fast as possible. And then, I heard something coming from one of the houses. Against my better judgment, I decided to investigate, but I didn't see anything, so I kept walking. That's when I heard a guy screaming, and then he crashed through the window and onto the lawn in front of me. I knelt down to see if he was okay, but-"

Harleen choked back a sob.

"But there was so much blood, I-I couldn't focus. He had a knife in his head. I-I-I tried to get away, but I kept tripping over myself. And then, there was this thing with the face of a jackal staring back at me. I finally stood up and ran, but I felt the air from a knife hit the fence behind me. I didn't think, I just kept running. I didn't pay attention to anything around me, and that's when I must have gotten hit. I knew that thing was still chasing me, so I ran to the closest thing I could find: the police station."

She gasped.

"Oh, my gosh", she said, looking at Bullock's bruised lip. "I-I'm so sorry, I-"

Bullock held up a hand to stop her.

"Water under the bridge", he said.

"We're just glad you're alright", said Gordon.

A nurse came into Harleen's room.

"Gentlemen, I'm sorry", she said, "but visiting hours are over. This young lady needs her rest."

"Of course", said Gordon. "Ms. Quinzel, we'd like your permission to post an officer outside your door. If you're right about this guy knowing what you saw him do, he might try to come after you."

Harleen nodded.

"I'm so scared", she said with a shuddering breath.

"I know", said Gordon, "but this department is going to do everything it can to protect you. Okay?"

"Okay", Harleen whispered.

The nurse cleared her throat.

"Alright, Gladys", said Bullock, "we're goin'."

"Goodnight, Ms. Quinzel", said Gordon. "Get some rest."

"Thank you, Detective", said Harleen, "and please apologize to your partner for me."

Gordon nodded.

"Will do."

As the nurse smiled and shut the door behind her, Harleen carefully sank back into the seats. Touching her bandaged side, she sighed and closed her eyes.

…

A black gloved hand reached across the table and took hold of the golden goblet, raising it to his lips. The masked figure came into his living room hurriedly.

"What is it, Ranjeet?"

The man looked up.

"And confound it, what did I say about bringing business to my table?!"

"Sorry, sir."

The man called Ranjeet removed his mask.

"That's better. Now, what is it? I'm very busy. Did you apprehend the target?"

Well, yes, sir, but-"

"And?"

"Albert Green is dead, sir."

"Good, good. He would have been a great threat to my...plans."

"Yes, sir, but...there's something else."

The man paused mid-sip.

"What?"

"There was...a witness."

The man slammed the goblet down onto the table and overturned it, spilling food and drink everywhere. Ranjeet's eyes went wide at the mess.

"You fool!"

Ranjeet was lifted up by the throat, gasping for breath.

"You damn fool! Your instructions were clear: Acquire the target, no one is to see you, and if someone does, ELIMINATE THEM! You cannot _possibly_ tell me you were stupid enough to leave a witness!"

"I tried to catch her, sir!" Ranjeet choked out. "But she ran! Right to the police! To Detective Gordon!"

The man dropped him.

"Find her", he demanded. "Find that girl, and bring her to me. I shall deal with her personally."

Ranjeet nodded and ran out of the room, pulling his mask back on.

…

Harleen ran through the woods as fast as she could, still holding her bruised side. The masked figure was chasing her once again. She could hear growls behind her. A knife struck the tree beside her, causing her to veer to the left. Another one made her go right. Finally, she found herself standing on the edge of a cliff. She flailed her arms wildly, struggling to regain her balance and keep from falling in. Just as she backed up and turned around, a knife went through her chest. She looked down to see a crimson red stain forming, and then looked up to see the masked man in front of her. Before she could scream, he gave her a hard shove, and she tumbled off the cliff, landing at the bottom with a sickening thud.

Harleen awoke in the hospital screaming, her hospital gown drenched in sweat. A police officer ran in, looking startled.

"Ms. Quinzel!" he said. "Are you okay?"

"No!"

Harleen hugged her knees and rocked back and forth.

"NO!"

"Get the nurse", said the officer to another. "I'm callin' the chief."

…..

Ranjeet had revisited the scene of the crime before the police could have their way with it. He reached down with his gloved hand and pulled the knife from the corpse's head.

"I'll not let the police have _this_ ", he said to himself. "Besides, they wouldn't find anything."

He suddenly spotted Harleen's backpack lying next to a puddle of blood in the grass, and picked it up.

"Hello, what have we here?"

Inside, he found a few textbooks, some pencils and pens, a ruler...and a Student ID.

"Well, well, well. I can't wait to meet you, Ms. Quinzel."

…

Gordon came rushing into Harleen's room, who was now muttering to herself and refusing to make eye contact with anyone.

"Has she said anything?" he asked the nurse.

"Not a word", she said. "Poor girl is really shook up from what she saw. And I think the nightmare she must have had sent her into overdrive."

"What would you suggest?"

"Familiar faces, words of comfort."

"Bullock and I haven't been able to find any family members here in Gotham."

"I live alone."

Gordon and the nurse turned to see Harleen staring at them.

"My mom is in Kingston. I never knew my dad."

"Ms. Quinzel."

Gordon went over to her side.

"Are you okay?"

Harleen shook her head.

"He's looking for me", she said. "I can feel it, and he's gonna find me!"

Gordon placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you", he said. "Now, did something happen last night?"

"No, it was just a nightmare. But it felt so real."

She jumped as Gordon's cell phone rang.

"Excuse me, I should probably take this."

Gordon stepped a few feet away from her and answered.

"Harvey?"

"Jim, the girl was telling the truth. We got a guy's body, and it looks like there was some kind of weapon lodged in his head, but it's gone now."

"What?"

Gordon turned back to Harleen.

"Did you have anything with you that night?" he asked her, and she nodded.

"My backpack, but I dropped it when I ran."

"Harvey, did you find a backpack on the scene?"

"Nah, just a dead guy, some broken glass and a puddle of blood. No backpack. Why?"

"Because I think our guy got to the scene before _we_ did and stole some evidence."

"You think he took the girl's backpack? What could he possibly want with that?"

"Harleen", said Gordon, turning back to her, "what was in that backpack of yours?"

Harleen's eyes went wide.

"My student ID", she said. "Oh, God, he knows who I am!"

"Harvey, we need to increase security at Gotham University. This guy might go there to find more information about Ms. Quinzel."

"You got it, partner."

Harvey hung up.

"Alright, listen up!" he called out. "I want a team sent out to the college, and be on full alert! We have no idea what this guy is up to, or what he might do."

…

At that moment, Ranjeet was on the grounds of Gotham University, snooping through the Admissions Office.

"Quinzel, Quinzel", he mumbled, thumbing through some files in a drawer.

Finally, he located Harleen's file and opened it, his finger tracing the lines he read until finally settling on her address. He smiled.

"Got you."

…

The nurse presented Harleen with her clothes.

"Here ya are, Ms. Quinzel", she said. "You are officially discharged. Now remember to take it easy for a few days. Try not to stress yourself, or your stitches will rip open."

"Okay, thanks."

Harleen went into her bathroom to change. As she did, she felt the scar on her side and ran her index finger over the stitches. She recalled the night she had been hit, and terrifying images of the figure who had been chasing her plagued her mind, until there was a knock on the door.

"Ms. Quinzel?"

"Yes?"

"My name is Officer Melaney, I'm supposed to give you a ride home. A-are you ready to go?"

"Yes, I'll...I'll be right out."

…

Harleen stared out the window as Officer Melaney pulled up to her apartment.

"Here ya are, Ms. Quinzel", said Officer Melaney. "Home, sweet home."

"Not entirely", Harleen muttered. "Thank you for the ride, officer."

She winced as she was helped out of the police car.

"You sure you can make it inside alright?" said Officer Melaney.

"Y-yeah. I think so."

"Alright, then. If you need anything, an officer will be right outside."

He nodded to the car behind them, who waved. Harleen nodded.

"Thank you."

Harleen slowly made her way up the steps and looked back at the police one last time before heading inside.

"Okay", she said to herself, fumbling with the key to her apartment. "Everything will be fine. The police are on this, and I've got officers on the street. Everything is going to be-"

But as she swung her apartment door open, she gasped and dropped her keys. The whole place was ransacked, papers and books scattered all over the place. All of her furniture had been ripped apart, slashed open, or lay in pieces on the floor. Harleen shuddered in horror as she approached the fridge. Her file from Gotham University was posted there, held there by a bloody knife, which she recognized as the same one she saw that night. Harleen sank to her knees, dug her hands into the ground, and let out a blood-curdling scream.

 **That's all for now, hope you enjoy!**

 **-Imagigirl20**


	3. Chapter 3

**Criminal Witness**

 **by Imagigirl20**

 **Hey, guys! Well, here I am again with another chapter of this story. I didn't think anyone liked it, until I got a very encouraging review from a guest. Sorry I don't know your screenname, but I hope you've had time to fangirl, because I'm comin' at ya with more! Enjoy!**

Detective Jim Gordon's car screeched to a halt outside of Harleen's apartment complex. Jim got out and met an officer on the stairs.

"What happened?" he said, bounding up the steps.

"I don't know, chief!" said the officer. "We dropped the girl off like you said, we were posted outside the building, next thing I know, we hear screaming and crashing."

"Was it her attacker?"

"We're not sure. We tried to go inside to help, but the door's blocked. She just keeps screaming and we keep hearing these things being thrown around."

"You should have called me sooner."

Gordon stopped outside her door and knocked.

"Ms. Quinzel?"

"GET AWAY FROM ME!"

Something big and heavy landed with a thud against the door, followed closely by a few plates.

"Ms. Quinzel, if you can hear me, I'm coming in."

Gordon backed up a few steps, and then ran at the door, forcing it open enough to see inside. Harleen was on the kitchen counter, pulling plates and dishes from the cupboards. Her breathing was panicky and her nails were caked with dried blood. She suddenly froze, spotting the detective out of the corner of her eye.

"NO!"

Gordon ducked behind the door as a teapot smashed against it.

"GET OUT OF HERE!"

"Harleen!"

With all of his might, Gordon pushed against the door, forcing it open almost all the way so he could slip through. Harleen's couch slid against the floor, and he blinked at the large piece of upholstery.

"Stronger than she looks", he thought, and ran over to her.

"NO!"

Gordon ducked as another plate soared past his head. Finally, he reached Harleen, who stood ready with a knife.

"GET OUT!" she screamed, but Gordon only stared at her. "You can't help me, GET OUT!"

Gordon grabbed her wrist, trying to get her to drop the knife.

"Harleen, stop!" he said. "It's me, it's Jim Gordon!"

At this, she froze, her breath catching in her throat.

"Detective?" she said, her voice barely a whisper, and Gordon nodded.

"It's okay."

Harleen began sobbing hysterically, and the knife clattered to the floor. Gordon caught her as she fell from the counter, curled within herself, and lowered her to the floor. She cried into his shoulder as he looked around her place. That's when he spotted her file on the refrigerator.

"It's alright", he said reassuringly, stroking her hair. "You're safe now."

Bullock came inside with a few more officers and took in the mess.

"Damn", he said. "And I thought _my place_ was a dump."

…

Harleen winced as a medical examiner finished bandaging her fingers.

"Sorry", she said, "I probably should have told you it would sting."

"It's okay", said Harleen. "I probably shouldn't have ripped up the floorboards with my bare hands."

The medical examiner chuckled and stood up.

"You're good to go."

Harleen nodded.

"Thank you."

She pulled the blanket tighter over her shoulders as she went over to Gordon and Bullock.

"Whoever is after you found out where you live", said Gordon, and she nodded.

"They must have lifted her file from Gotham U. before we could get men out there", said Harvey.

"I can't stay here", said Harleen, looking back at the building.

"Well, yeah", said Bullock. "You've kind of made this place uninhabitable."

Gordon gave him a hard shove.

"What?"

Harleen sniffled.

"I don't have anywhere else to go", she choked. "He's gonna find me again."

"No, he's not", said Gordon. "I've made some arrangements to hide you in a secluded location, somewhere this guy would never think of looking for you."

Harleen wiped her nose.

"Where?"

The sound of car wheels approaching made all of them turn. A sleek, black car drove up to the crime scene, and a man got out and walked around to the backseat on the passenger side. He opened the door and a young man in a suit stepped out, straightening his tie.

"Ms. Quinzel", he said, "it's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Bruce Wayne."

…..

"No."

Harleen shook her head.

"I-I-I can't, I couldn't possibly stay at Wayne Manor."

"With all due respect, Ms. Quinzel", said Alfred, "there is no safer place that you could possibly be."

"Alfred's right", said Gordon. "It's completely off the map, far from Gotham City. You'd be well-protected there."

"But why?" said Harleen. "You guys don't even know me, and you just wanna take in some stranger off the street?"

"I am always happy to extend my services to the G.C.P.D.", said Bruce. "Please, Ms. Quinzel, allow us to assist you."

"I could even teach you a thing or two about self-defense, miss", Alfred offered.

"We would treat you like royalty", said Bruce. "You wouldn't have a care in the world."

"What about school?" said Harleen. "My classes? I'm studying psychiatry."

"I'll hire a private tutor", said Bruce. "Anything you need, Ms. Quinzel. It's yours."

Harleen fought back tears.

"Thank you, Mr. Wayne", she said. "Thank you so much."

"Please, call me Bruce."

Harleen nodded.

"Alright...as long as you call me Harleen."

…

Ranjeet gulped as he walked back into his master's room.

"I told you not to return unless you bring me that girl", said the man, twirling his finger around in a glass of wine.

"Y-yes, sir, I know, but-"

"But nothing. Where is she?"

"She...she's gone, sir, I-I can't find her any-"

"SILENCE!"

The man got up and stormed over to him.

"And to think I once called you an assassin. You are a weak, pathetic excuse of a lackey."

He shoved Ranjeet, who crashed down into a potted plant.

"I am giving you one last chance, Ranjeet", said the man. "Find the girl and bring her to me within 10 hours. If you don't have her back here by then, I will send someone to find you and bring me your head on a silver platter. Do you understand?"

Ranjeet nodded.

"Then GO!"

Ranjeet scrambled up out of the plant and ran out. The man sighed and dialed a number on his cell phone.

"Ramdas? This is your boss speaking, Ra's al Ghul. Ten hours. You know what to do."

 **What shall become of young Harleen? What adventures await her within Wayne Manor? Will Ra's al Ghul find her? Find out all this and more in later chapters! Ta-ta for now!**

 **-Imagigirl20**


	4. Chapter 4

**Criminal Witness**

 **Chapter 3**

 **Hey, guys! I know it's been a while and some of you think I've forgotten about this story, but fret not! I'm BACK! So, without further ado, here comes the next chapter! Enjoy!**

Harleen stared out the window, glancing back every so often to make sure Bruce's car wasn't being followed. Bruce glanced at his guest out of the corner of her eye.

"I assure you, Harleen", he said, "you'll be well protected at Wayne Manor."

Harleen let out the breath she had been holding and nodded.

"I'm sorry", she said. "I just can't help but think that I'm putting you two in danger."

"Oh, don't worry about us, Miss", said Alfred as he pulled into the drive. "Master Bruce and I can handle anything that comes our way. Ah, here we are: Home sweet home, eh?"

Harleen gasped as she saw Wayne Manor come into view. The place was huge! It was about three times the size of her apartment complex, and then some.

"Wow", she breathed, and Bruce hid a chuckle.

Alfred walked around to Bruce's door and opened it. Bruce stepped out and offered his hand to Harleen, who took it hesitantly.

"Welcome to my home, Ms. Quinzel", he said. "Alfred will get your bags."

"No, please, allow me", said Harleen, walking around to the trunk. "You guys have done so much already, taking me in like this."

"It's our pleasure, Ms. Quinzel", said Alfred, lifting a heavy duffel out, "and as for the bags, I really must insist on carrying them myself."

Harleen smiled and nodded.

"Thank you, Alfred."

"Allow me", said Bruce. "Let me show you to your room."

The room was extravagant, better than any hotel she had ever stayed in. There were fresh pillows placed out on the bedspread, and a silk gown laid out on the dresser for her.

"Oh, my God", she said, "this is...this is too much. I'm so embarrassed."

"On your left!"

Bruce and Harleen stepped to the side as Alfred placed her bags in the doorway.

"There you are, Ms. Quinzel", he said. "Well, Master B. and I will let you get settled in, and then we can have some lunch in the kitchenette."

He gave a curt nod and walked back down the stairs.

"If there's anything I can do to make your stay more comfortable", said Bruce, "please don't hesitate to ask."

"Thank you", said Harleen, tears glistening in her eyes. "Thank you so much."

"Don't worry", said Bruce. "The police are going to everything they can to catch the person who's after you."

Harleen nodded, and Bruce shut the door behind him. Harleen sat down on the edge of the bed and sighed, looking around the room. She noticed a rose in a vase on the bedside table, picked it up and inhaled deeply, shutting her eyes. She sank back into the pillows on the bed, still holding the beautiful flower.

…

Alfred set some plates down on the table in the kitchen and glanced upstairs. Bruce checked his watch. It had been half an hour since they had left Harleen alone. Getting worried, he walked to the edge of the stairs.

"Harleen?" he called. "Are you alright?"

There was no response, and then he heard the sound of glass breaking.

"Alfred!" Bruce called, and he came running.

They both raced up the stairs, and Alfred threw open the door...to see Harleen asleep on top of the comforter. The vase the rose had come in had been knocked off the bedside table by her foot. Bruce sighed with relief.

"Best leave her be, eh, Master Bruce?" Alfred whispered, and Bruce nodded. "I imagine she's quite tired, after this unfortunate ordeal."

"You're right, Alfred", Bruce whispered back. "But I think we should check on her, every few hours, just to be safe."

Alfred nodded, and carefully shut the door.

…..

Detective Gordon hung up the phone at the Gotham City Police Department just as Harvey came walking in with a list.

"Nothin'", he said, slamming the list down in front of Jim. "I've talked to every store imaginable. Not one of 'em said that they recently sold a jackal mask to anyone."

Bullock sighed and sat down, propping his feet up on the desk.

"Any luck on your end?"

"I wish", said Gordon. "I just spoke with Penguin. He said that no one has any idea who or where this guy is, but he'd keep an eye out for a guy wearing a jackal mask. How's Harleen?"

"Alfred just checked in, said she's sleeping."

"Good. Poor girl could use some good rest, going through something like this."

Suddenly, the phone rang, and Gordon picked it up.

"Gordon."

"Hello, Jim."

Bullock mouthed, "Who is it?".

"What do you want, Barbara?" said Gordon, sighing.

"Sirens Club heard a little rumor that you're looking for a guy in a jackal mask, and I may know of something that can help you."

"What do you got?"

Barbara chuckled.

"Now, Jim, you should know how this works: I have something you want, sure, but I'm not gonna give it to you for free."

"Okay. What do you want?"

"Five thousand dollars, some fur coats, and a jug of milk for Selina."

"Funny. What do you _really_ want?"

"There's a special event at the Sirens Club tonight, but it may get a little out of hand. I want your word that you and the police force won't try to shut us down."

"Fine. Now what's on your end?"

"The guy you're looking for is employed by a man of mystery who just recently arrived in Gotham. His name is Ra's al Ghul."

"Got it. Thanks."

Gordon hung up and turned to Bullock.

"I need some information on Ra's al Ghul, anything you can find", said Gordon.

"You got it, boss", said Bullock, and raced down the stairs to do some research.

…

Harleen rubbed her eyes as she walked down the stairs. She had no idea how long she had slept, or even if it was the same day. Wayne Manor was eerily quiet, and there was no sign of anyone.

"Bruce?" she called, poking her head into the kitchen. "Alfred? Anyone home?"

Harleen shrugged and turned around, only to gasp in terror at the sight of blood on the floor in front of her.

"No", she muttered, following the bright red trail to the conservatory. "No, no, no, this can't be happening."

As she approached the doorway, Harleen froze in place. Bruce was lying on the floor, a knife stuck in his neck.

"NO!"

Harleen knelt down by his side, feeling for a pulse. A strangled gasp came from Bruce, and he pointed a bloody finger at her.

"This is...your...fault", he choked out, and then fell still.

"No, I-I-"

"Oi!"

Harleen turned swiftly to see Alfred behind her.

"Alfred", she said, still in shock, "I-I'm so sorry, I...I-"

"It's your fault he's dead", he said, his eyes narrowed. "Hope you're happy."

Harleen was shaking from head to toe. She couldn't believe this was happening to her. Suddenly, a sword was thrust through Alfred's chest, and Harleen released a blood-curdling scream. As Alfred's lifeless body fell down next to Bruce's, the jackal-masked figure stared back at her.

...

Bruce Wayne awoke to the sound of screaming, and quickly threw back the covers, grabbing a robe out of the closet.

"Alfred, what is it?" he said as he met the butler in the hallway.

"It's coming from our guest's room, Master B.", said Alfred.

They quickly opened Harleen's guest room door to find her thrashing in her sleep, screaming every so often. Bruce and Alfred took either side of the bed, trying to shake her awake.

"Harleen!" Bruce called, shaking her side firmly. "Harleen, wake up!"

"Ms. Quinzel, it's alright!" said Alfred. "We're here!"

Harleen's eyes snapped awake, and she started swinging out in every direction. Bruce and Alfred took hold of her wrists, holding her down.

"No!" she growled, struggling to break loose. "No, let me go!"

"HARLEEN!"

The girl gasped as she realized where she was, and she began to sob hysterically. Gradually, Bruce and Alfred released their grips, and Harleen curled into herself, her head down.

"It's alright, Ms. Quinzel", said Alfred. "You're safe, we're here."

"You", Harleen sobbed, "you were-were both...d-d-d-d-dead and it was my...my fault."

"It's okay, Harleen", said Bruce, laying a hand on her shoulder. "You're safe now."

The two of them stayed with her until she fell back asleep, and then went back to bed themselves. None of them noticed a jackal-masked figure watching from outside the window.

 **That's all for now, guys! See you next time!**

 **-Imagigirl20**


	5. Chapter 5

**Criminal Witness**

 **Chapter 5**

 **What's up, guys? My apologies for the last chapter I posted. I didn't realize it would cause a glitch, posting directly through the site. Here is the REAL chapter 5, written as it should be. Hope you can enjoy!**

Jerome Valeska sighed as he watched his fellow inmates cause a racket in the rec. R room. He was tired of being cooped up with people who were not nearly as crazy and insane as he was. All he could think about was the night he had come back to life and kidnapped Bruce Wayne. He touched the scars on his face, feeling the stitches where the doctors had sewed his face back on.

"One square meal a day", he thought to himself. "Two bathroom breaks; a movie night once a month; sure, the shock therapy is fun, but it's just not enough. I need more."

That being said, he stood up on the table and let out a loud whistle, alerting the people around him.

"Listen up!" he announced. "You guys have all been great, but I've decided it's time to move on. Anyone who wants to come with me is more than welcome, but I've got better things to do than pick at my face all day and listen to you people whine and complain about not getting your pudding cups. Farewell!"

Jerome jumped down and walked past everyone, who stared at him. Then, two or three inmates stood up and followed him to the gate.

"Hey, guard", said Jerome, "pressing his face to the gate, "you wanna hear something funny?"

"Get back, Jerome", said the guard, pulling his baton. "You're not getting out any time soon."

Jerome cackled and turned back to the people who had followed him.

"What a coincidence!" he said, a wicked grin spreading across his face and his eyes narrowing. "I was just about to say the same thing about you."

Suddenly, Jervis Tetch appeared behind behind the guard and shoved him into the rec. room with the other inmates, who began to pummel him. There was a slashing noise, and then the guard's head rolled over to Jerome's shoe.

"Well", said Jerome, "I guess you could say that that guy was caught a little "off-guard"!"

Laughing maniacally at his own sick joke, Jerome caught the baton one of his followers tossed him and exited the room, dragging the baton across the wall.

"Better watch out, Brucie boy", he growled, "'cause I'm comin' for ya."

…

Harleen took a swing at Alfred, who was wearing boxing gloves. As Bruce came at her from behind, she ducked and swiped his legs out from under him, dropping him to the ground.

"Brilliantly done, Ms. Quinzel", said Alfred, unlacing his gloves.

Harleen smiled and offered a hand to Bruce, who took it, returning the smile.

"I'm impressed, Harleen", he said. "You've picked up on the self-defense lessons quite well."

"Thanks, Bruce", said Harleen, wiping her forehead.

"Best stay hydrated, you two", said Alfred, tossing them bottles of water.

Harleen took a swig and sighed.

"I can't thank you two enough", she said, stretching her arms. "Taking me in, keeping me hidden, even teaching me how to defend myself."

"Of course", said Bruce. "It's our pleasure to help out the GCPD."

Alfred checked his watch.

"It's getting a bit late, Master B.", he said. "I believe I'll turn in."

"Goodnight, Alfred", said Harleen.

"Sleep well", said Bruce.

Alfred nodded to the both of them and then headed upstairs.

"I'm pretty beat, too", said Harleen, letting down her long hair. "I think I'll take a shower and head to bed myself. Goodnight, Bruce."

"Goodnight, Harleen", he said.

Harleen watched from the doorway as Bruce continued hammering away at a punching bag. She smiled to herself and then headed upstairs.

…

Later that night, some masked figures broke into Wayne Manor. Everyone was asleep. Ramdas led his group of assassins through the mansion.

"Remember", he whispered, "when you find the girl, subdue and capture. Ra's al Ghul shall deal with her personally."

At the same time, in another part of the house, Jerome and his followers broke into the mansion.

"Now remember", he whispered, "when you find Brucie boy, don't kill him. I want that job all to myself. The butler, though, he's all yours."

He chuckled quietly and led the group through the mansion.

…

Harleen unconsciously turned onto her side, sleeping peacefully for once. Across the guest room, the doorknob slowly turned and a figure stepped inside. They silently crept over to the bed, leaning down over Harleen. The girl's eyes snapped open as a hand covered her mouth.

 **I've had this particular scene stuck in my head for a while now, and I'm happy to share it with you all. Again, I apologize for the atrocious excuse of a chapter I posted yesterday. But that's all for now, guys! One review is all it takes to see what happens next! Bye!**

 **-Imagigirl20**

 **PS-Of COURSE I'll continue without a review, I'm not cruel! ;)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Criminal Witness**

 **Chapter 6**

 **Hello there! Sorry it's taken me so long to get back on this cliffhanger, but I didn't receive any reviews, so I am wondering if anyone is still reading this. For those of you that are, thank you for your continued support. I hope you enjoy the rest of what I have for you.**

Harleen's screams were muffled by the hand covering her mouth, and someone shushed her.

"Easy, miss", said an unmistakable British accent, and Harleen closed her eyes with relief.

"Alfred, what's going on?" she whispered as he removed his hand.

"Not sure", he whispered back, watching the door with a gun in his hand. "Stay close, and follow me. Master Bruce has already alerted the authorities."

Bruce suddenly appeared in the doorway.

"You okay?" he said to Harleen, and she nodded.

"Yeah."

"There are men downstairs, with animal masks", said Bruce. "I counted five, maybe six, in the kitchen."

"You're lucky you weren't caught", said Harleen.

"I don't think it's Master B. they want, Ms. Quinzel."

Harleen's breath caught in her throat, and she thought back to the jackal-faced man who had attacked her in her dreams.

"Oh, God", she breathed. "They're here for me."

Ramdas moved throughout the mansion, having his men search every room for Harleen.

"No sign of her, sir", said one of them.

"Search upstairs", said Ramdas, and the men nodded, beginning their ascent.

Bruce, who was hiding in the shadows, started to run back to where Alfred and Harleen were hiding when someone tripped him, and he slid across the floor. Jerome, still holding the security guard's baton, laughed maniacally.

"Hello, Brucie boy", he said, sneering down at him. "Miss me?"

Ramdas' men came up the stairs and spotted Jerome, leering over Bruce. Sensing their presence, Jerome spun around.

"Uh-oh."

He and Bruce ducked out of harm's way as the men opened fire. As Bruce tried to crawl back to the master bedroom, Jerome grabbed him and held a knife to his throat.

"Unh-unh-unh", he sing-songed. "Not so fast, rich boy."

"You maniac!" Bruce yelled, trying to break free. "They're gonna kill us!"

"Relax!" said Jerome, holding him close. "You honestly think I came here to get you alone?"

He let out a sharp, clear whistle and his own followers opened fire on Ramdas' men.

"And that's our cue to leave", said Jerome, hauling himself up and taking Bruce with him.

Harleen suddenly appeared in the hallway with Alfred, who saw Bruce being dragged backward with a knife still to his throat.

"Bruce!" they said simultaneously.

"It's her!" said one of the men.

"Capture the target!" said another.

Harleen ran forward and slid under their legs, picking herself up and rushing down the stairs.

"After her, you fools!" said Ramdas, and the men started to pursue her.

Jerome sighed.

"Alone at last", he said, pulling Bruce's hair back to expose more of his neck. "C'mon, gang. Let's take this party on the road."

"Bruce!"

Alfred suddenly appeared out of nowhere and plowed into Jerome, who let go of Bruce.

"Go after the girl!" Alfred said as Bruce stood up. "I'll take care of _this_ crazy clown."

Bruce nodded and ran after the men. Jerome growled and picked himself up, still wielding the knife.

"Come on, then, sunshine", said Alfred. "Let's dance."

Jerome snickered darkly.

"I am getting really tired of you, old man", he said. "Maybe I'll just put you out of your misery."

The two men rushed forward with battle cries. Jerome slashed at Alfred with his knife, but the butler dodged every blow. Jerome grunted as he avoided a punch.

"Don't just stand there!" he yelled to his followers. "Go find the kid!"

The group followed Bruce down the stairs.

"You keep your band of freaks away from that boy!" said Alfred, and he socked Jerome in the mouth.

"Sorry, old chap", said Jerome, smiling to himself as he imitated the butler. "Dear old Master B. is coming with us."

"No!"

Alfred lunged forward, which is just what Jerome was waiting for. He sidestepped the attack and bludgeoned Alfred in the head with the baton. Jerome cackled as he flipped over the butler's unconscious form.

"Well", he said, squaring his shoulders, "that was easy."

…

Harleen ducked as a knife flew over her head.

"You fool!" said Ramdas, stopping the man from tossing another one. "Ra's al Ghul wants her alive!"

"Ra's al Ghul?" she thought, losing concentration. "Who is Ra's al Ghul?"

Her hesitation cost her, and she fell to the ground, completely out of breath. As the men drew closer, she began to crawl away.

"Give it up, Ms. Quinzel", said Ramdas. "Come quietly, and we promise not to hurt Mr. Wayne."

As if on cue, Bruce tackled him to the ground.

"Well, I didn't promise not to hurt _you_!" he said, breathing heavily. "Leave her alone!"

"I can't do that, Mr. Wayne", said Ramdas. "My boss's instructions are very clear."

"Who is your boss?" said Bruce. "He can take me, instead. Just let her go."

Suddenly, Bruce cried out in pain as someone knocked him to the ground. Men came on either sides and held him in place as Ramdas approached and chuckled.

"An intriguing offer, Mr. Wayne", he said, "but our leader has far greater plans for you."

With that, Ramdas punched Bruce in the head, knocking him out cold.

"Bruce!" Harleen cried.

"Get the girl", said Ramdas.

Harleen gasped and crawled backwards, trying to get away from them.

"St-stay away from me!" she said. "Leave me alone!"

BAM! A gunshot rang out, dropping one of the men to the ground. Harleen looked up to see Jim Gordon in front of her, his gun smoking from the shot.

"GCPD!" he called. "Get on the ground and put your hands on your head!"

Ramdas simply smiled, and threw down a pellet. Purple smoke engulfed the group as Jim rushed forward with the police force. Harleen got to her feet and ran, coughing, back towards the mansion.

"We will find you, Ms. Quinzel!" she heard a voice cry out. "You cannot hide from the League of Shadows!"

Harleen stopped at the edge of the house, trying to catch her breath. Suddenly, a handkerchief came over her mouth and she screamed, trying to fight her attacker off.

"Shhh", said a voice in her ear. "Relax, sweetheart. Just rest."

Her struggles grew weak and her vision blurred. As her head lolled back, she saw Jerome holding her up.

"I'm not sure why Brucie boy cares for you so much", he said, still holding the chloroform over her nose and mouth, "but if he wants to see you again, he'll have to take it up with me."

As Jerome's laughter filled her ears, Harleen finally went limp and her eyes closed. Jerome threw the girl over his shoulder and rushed off into the night.

…

"Bruce."

Jim Gordon gently shook the boy's shoulder.

"Bruce, can you hear me?"

Bruce groaned as he came to.

"Thank God, Master Bruce."

Alfred wrapped him up in a hug, which he returned.

"You alright?"

Bruce nodded, and then looked around.

"Harleen", he said. "Where's Harleen?"

"Was it those men?" said Alfred.

"Jim!"

Bullock motioned over to them.

"You might wanna see this."

Jim, Alfred and Bruce ran back over to the mansion, where they saw a baton and a cloth on the ground. Bullock picked up the cloth with a pen and sniffed.

"Chloroform", he said.

"They got her", said Bruce.

"No, it wasn't them", said Alfred, eyeing the baton. "It was that bloody lunatic, Jerome. He has her."

"He was after me", said Bruce. "Why would he take Harleen?"

…

Ramdas approached the table where his master was once again sipping a goblet of wine.

"Have you obtained the girl?" said Ra's.

"No, Master", said Ramdas. "She's-"

"Surely you didn't return to me, empty-handed once more."

"Master-"

"You know the consequences if you have failed me once more, Ramdas."

"Yes, Master, but-"

"Where is the girl?"

"The police arrived before we could get to her, and there was also some interference from Bruce Wayne."

Ra's stopped mid-sip.

"Bruce Wayne?"

"I remembered your instructions not to kill him", said Ramdas.

"So the girl remains with him?"

"We were forced to evacuate the mansion before the police could apprehend us, but one of my men spotted the girl being abducted by a sinister-looking character."

Ra's al Ghul suddenly jumped up and grasped Ramdas by the throat.

"Then perhaps I should recruit this person, as they have succeeded whereas you have failed."

Master, please-"

He was cut off as a sword was jammed through his chest from behind. A masked assassin watched as Ra's threw his body to the floor.

"Find the girl", said Ra's, turning to the assassin. "Bring her to me, and kill the one who got to her first."

The figure turned to go.

"And should you come across Bruce Wayne", said Ra's, "he is not to be harmed by any means."

The figure nodded and left. Ra's cleaned his sword and resumed his place at the table.

"Not yet", he thought.

 **That's all for now, guys. See you again soon.**

 **-Imagigirl20**


	7. Chapter 7

**Criminal Witness**

 **Chapter 7**

 **Hey, guys! What's up? I really appreciate the review I received on that last chapter, and I hope I live up to your expectations.**

"It just doesn't make any sense", said Bruce, pacing the floor of the GCPD. "Why would Jerome take Harleen? He was after me."

"I don't know, Bruce", said Jim, "but I promise you, we'll get her back."

"Now if I were a crazed lunatic with a fan club, where would I hide?" said Bullock, stroking his chin.

"I can't help but think about what that guy screamed before he and his team disappeared in the smoke", said Jim. "You cannot hide from the League of Shadows."

"You thinkin' those are the people who were after Harleen in the first place?" said Bullock.

"Maybe."

"We'll never know unless we find the poor girl, gentlemen", said Alfred.

"There is no we", said Jim. "You two should go home, stay safe."

"It's my fault Harleen was taken", said Bruce. "And Jerome-"

"Is still after you, kid", said Bullock. "Goin' after him, it would be suicide."

"Harvey's right", said Jim. "We'll find Harleen, Bruce. You need to sit this out."

Bruce nodded.

"Of course."

He threw on his coat, and he and Alfred walked out of the station.

"Don't worry, Master B.", said Alfred. "I'm sure Gordon will find her."

"Well, he was right about one thing", said Bruce. "We _do_ need to go home, see what we can find out about this League of Shadows. And Ra's al Ghul."

…

Harleen Quinzel awoke to a splitting headache and the sound of laughter. Her mind was still a bit hazy from the drug, and she couldn't see straight. After a minute or so, her vision cleared and she found herself in an animal cage. There was straw on the floor of her prison, and a few bones to the side. Returning to full awareness, she gasped as she saw Jerome staring at her through the bars, a crazed look in his eyes.

"Mornin', gorgeous", he said, and chuckled. "You sleep well?"

"Who are you?" Harleen said, looking around. "Where am I?"

"I'm Jerome!"

At this, there was a flourish of applause from his followers. Harleen blinked.

"Arkham's greatest escape artist? Brought back from the dead? Tell great jokes?"

Still, she remained silent, and the crowd booed.

"Nothin'? Man, you don't get out much, do ya?"

Jerome waved her off.

"Anyway, you're in a little place I like to call Hell on Earth. This is the circus grounds, where I was raised. Oh, well, raised and beaten to a pulp every single freakin' day of my miserable life, that is."

"What, do you expect me to feel sorry for you or something?" said Harleen.

"Nah", said Jerome. "I'm not looking for sympathy, but hey. I figured it was a good place to hide from Jimbo."

"What do you want with me?"

"With _you_?"

Jerome circled the cage, staring Harleen up and down.

"Eh. You're not really my type, but what the heck. I can squeeze you in for some fun."

"I meant, what am I doing here?", Harleen demanded.

"You, my dear, are a means to an end. Bruce Wayne's end, to be precise."

Out of the corner of her eye, Harleen suddenly noticed that the cage door was not locked.

"What do you want with Bruce Wayne?" she said, slowly edging her way to the end of the cage.

"Man, you really don't know _anything_ about me?"

"Should I?"

"And you call yourself a college student."

Jerome sighed and dramatically sat down on a box in front of her.

"After killing my mom and being sent off to Arkham, someone broke me out and recruited me to be a star. Oh, how _that_ dream was short-lived. The guy who claimed that he could give me everything stabbed me in the back."

Jerome, totally lost in his past, didn't notice as Harleen reached the door.

"So, after this guy Dwight brought me back and cut off my face (and, you know, obviously I killed him for that), I plunged Gotham into darkness and gained a flock of followers who absolutely love me for me."

As a sign of emphasis, the crowd cheered.

"The last thing I remembered wanting to do before I was killed, you know, unexpectedly, was killing Bruce Wayne, so that's what I set out to do. I attacked his house, left his butler to be killed, and took him to the carnival."

Jerome groaned.

"But then SOMEONE just had to go and ruin my day! The kid escaped and the GCPD crashed the party. I mean, seriously! No one invited them. Admittedly, stitches on my face hold a lot better than staples, especially after having it punched off by Brucie boy that night."

Jerome cackled, and his followers joined in as Harleen gripped the cage door.

"So, it was back to Arkham for me after that. But after a while, I got pretty tired of the people in that place, so I broke out and came after the rich kid again. Now, I may not have gotten to slit his pretty boy throat just yet, but that's why _you're_ here."

CLANG! Harleen pushed the door open and ran down the stairs, getting away as fast as she could. Jerome put his hands on his face, wide-eyed, and gasped dramatically.

"Oh, no! She's escaping!"

No one moved, and he sighed.

"Well, get her!" he demanded, and his followers pursued Harleen, who had made it to the edge of the campground by now.

"Agh!"

The girl suddenly doubled over and fell, her left side burning. She looked down to see a blood puddle forming on her shirt. In all the excitement, she had ripped open her stitches from the car accident. It wasn't long before Jerome's troupe caught up to her. Strong arms grabbed her from both sides and hauled her back over to him.

"Nice try", said Jerome, leaning down in her face.

That was when he noticed the pained expression in her eyes.

"Did you guys hurt our guest?"

He snapped his fingers, and they dropped her arms, which immediately went to her side. Jerome clicked his tongue.

"What happened there?"

"I was in an accident", said Harleen. "A masked man was chasing me because I witnessed him commit a murder, and I got hit by a car while running away."

Jerome stared at her for a few seconds, and then began to laugh. The troupe joined in.

"That's hilarious!" he said, cackling.

"I'm so glad that you find it funny", said Harleen, dead-pan.

"I really do", Jerome said in between fits of laughter, and then he stopped, leaning down again. "Back up: So are you saying that there is someone else after you?"

Harleen nodded, still clutching her side. Jerome whistled at the sight of her hand, which was now covered in blood.

"Alright, we gotta patch that up", he said. "Can't have my best girl bleeding out on me, now can I?"

Harleen grunted as she backed away from the hands that reached for her.

"You keep away from me", she said. "You _and_ your pack of freaks!"

Jerome mockingly gasped.

"Now that just hurts", he said with a sad voice, and then grinned. "You're my kind of girl after all, sweetheart."

Harleen was grabbed from behind,and she screamed at the pain it caused in her side.

"Careful now", said Jerome. "She _is_ injured, and we're not heartless, after all."

Two of the men began to gently drag her back over to the cage. For fear of hurting herself even further, Harleen didn't struggle but complied as they padlocked her in. She groaned as she clutched her side and laid down in the straw, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Saddle up, folks!" said Jerome. "It's almost showtime."

He threw on a top hat as someone wheeled a camera over to the cage and hit Record.

…

Meanwhile, somewhere downtown, Selina Kyle was pickpocketing unsuspecting passersby when she happened to come across a secret meeting in an alleyway. Five masked figures were gathered around a masked figure in the center, who was holding a knife. The one in the center met the one in the middle of the group. Ra's al Ghul removed his hood.

"Have you found her yet?" he said.

"Yes, Master", said the other one in front of him. "While Bruce Wayne was at the GCPD, we went back to the mansion to look for clues as to her whereabouts. We believe we have tracked her location to an abandoned campground."

"Excellent. Bring me the girl. Kill the others."

"I shall not let you down...Father."

The masked figure nodded to Ra's and led his men out of the alley. Selina's eyes went wide, and she snuck away to Wayne Manor.

…

Bullock took the steps two at a time up to Jim's office, a flustered look on his face.

"Jim", he said. "It's Jerome. He's on television, and it ain't good, partner."

Jim Gordon immediately stood and followed him to the television outside.

"Is this thing on?" said Jerome from the screen. "Hello, are we rolling?"

"You're on!" said someone in the background.

"Oh. Good. Hello, Gotham City! It's me, Jerome. Again. Some of you guys are probably getting really tired of me taking over the broadcasting network, but I am really sorry to say...I just don't care about ya!"

He laughed.

"So here's the deal: I'm hanging out at my old place, where I became who I am today! And I have some lovely company with me."

The camera panned in to reveal Harleen in the animal cage, weak from blood loss.

"Now don't get me wrong, folks, she _is_ pretty, but she's also kind of a downer. You know, with her dying and all."

"He's holding Harleen at the old campgrounds, where we first met him", said Gordon.

"The girl doesn't look too good", said Bullock.

"It's her injury", said Gordon. "All that stress must have ripped open her stitches. We need to get her to a hospital."

"Jim Gordon!" Jerome announced. "I know you're watching this, and you're right. My young, pretty friend here does need medical attention, and she can get it. All I ask is that Bruce Wayne take her place in the lion's den."

"No!" Harleen tried to shout, but it came out strained. "D-d-don't do it, Bruce!"

"Easy, doll, don't hurt yourself", said Jerome. "You know, anymore than you already have. But anyway, get me Brucie boy, or I'll make her bleed out a lot faster than she is now. Oh, and if I see any cops (this means you, Jim!), I'll just put her out of her misery and shoot her in the head. Tick-tock, Bruce! I'll be waiting for you."

The screen went dark.

That's all for now, see you later!

-Imagigirl20


	8. Chapter 8

**Criminal Witness**

 **Chapter 8**

 **Hey, guys! So for this chapter, I decided to do something a little different. I've seen multiple points of view done on other stories, so I thought I'd try my hand at it. Enjoy, and be sure to tell me what you think!**

Bruce slammed his fist down on the table.

"We have to rescue her!"

"No, Bruce", said Gordon. "It's you he wants."

"But if we don't get her out of there, she could die!"

"We're handling it", said Gordon.

"Well, you might be able to handle it a lot faster if you had some backup", said a voice.

The men turned to see Selina Kyle in the doorway.

"Selina."

She nodded hello to Bruce and walked over to them.

"What are you doing here?" said Bruce.

"Word on the street is that you guys are looking for the League of Shadows", said Selina.

"Do you know something?" said Gordon.

"Well, considering the fact that I just witnessed them meeting in an alleyway, I should say so. Their leader, Ra's al Ghul, he knows where this girl is, and he's sending his men to retrieve her."

"Then we have to get to Harleen first", said Gordon, and flipped open his phone. "Harvey, gather a team and meet me at the campgrounds. The League of Shadows is going after Harleen."

…

Harleen watched through blurred vision as Jerome addressed his followers. She couldn't make out what he was saying, but every now and again, they would cheer.

"Agh!"

A sharp pain tore through her side, which was still bleeding heavily. With labored breaths, she gripped a bar of the cage.

"Help me", she whispered. "Please."

One of the followers seemed to notice her.

"Hey, boss!" he yelled. "Your lady friend's not lookin' too good!"

"On the contrary, my good man", said Jerome, "I happen to think she is _very_ good-"

He stopped when he saw the blood-stained straw around Harleen.

"Crap", he groaned. "Is there a doctor in the camp?"

"I can recommend one."

Jerome spun around to see some of his followers with swords through their chests. Ra's al Ghul's son, Ubu, stepped forward to meet Jerome.

"Give us the girl", he said.

"Sorry, macho man!" said Jerome, smiling. "Finders keepers!"

As he and his followers laughed, a gunshot rang out. The man next to Jerome dropped dead with a bullet between his eyes.

"Man, I really liked that guy", said Jerome, and then leaned down. "What was your name? Ken? Troy?"

Ubu leveled his gun with Jerome, who sighed.

"Look, you can _have_ her", he said, "but I'm waiting for a friend of mine to get here first."

"Enough talk."

Ubu cocked the gun.

"Hand over the girl."

Jerome sucked in air through his teeth, and then vigorously shook his head.

"Hand over the girl", Ubu said again, taking a step forward, "or I will kill you."

At this, Jerome cackled.

"I've been dead once before, Scarface!" he said, resting his hand on the bars of the cage. "I don't plan on going back anytime soon."

"So be it."

But before Ubu could pull the trigger, BOOM! Black smoke engulfed the area, shielding Jerome from his sight. The GCPD swarmed the area, firearms at the ready.

"GCPD!" Bullock shouted. "Drop your weapons and come out with your hands up!"

Ubu turned to the police force and scowled.

"You are not the person I take orders from", he said, and opened fire.

A few officers dropped to the ground.

"Get down!" said Bullock, and scrambled to find some cover as the rest of the League joined in.

…

Bruce Wayne snuck onto the campgrounds before the fight broke out and listened as Jerome addressed his followers.

"It won't be long before Mr. Bruce Wayne joins us", said Jerome, smiling wickedly. "That's when the _real_ fun begins!"

The crowd cheered.

"What could be keeping Brucie, anyhow?"

As Jerome feigned looking at a watch, one of his followers called him over to an animal cage. Bruce stifled a gasp as he saw Harleen lying on the floor, apparently unconscious. Staying low, he crawled closer so he could hear.

"Crap", he heard Jerome groan. "Is there a doctor in the camp?"

"I can recommend one."

Bruce turned to see Ubu emerge. He watched as the League of Shadows quietly took out some of his followers. Bruce crawled even closer until he was directly under Harleen's prison, hidden behind a large box in front of the animal cage. He listened to Ubu and Jerome argue, and then jumped as a dead body dropped down in front of him, blood trickling down the man's forehead. Suddenly, he felt a blood drop from above.

"Hang on, Harleen", he thought. "I'm getting you out of here."

BANG! Black smoke engulfed the area and Bruce fought the urge to cough and give away his position.

"GCPD!" he heard Bullock shout. "Drop your weapons and put your hands up!"

Gunshots rang out and he witnessed a few officers fall to the ground.

"Once again, leave it to the GCPD to ruin a perfectly good time", said Jerome.

Bruce jumped for joy on the inside as he walked away from the cage. Ubu had gone off to join the rest of the League. Now was his chance.

…

Harleen's head ached, and she could see nothing but a blur. She brought her fingers from her injured side up to her face and only saw red.

"This is it", she thought. "I'm going to die here."

"Psst!"

Harleen snapped out of her daze momentarily and weakly looked around.

"Who's there?" she groaned.

"Psst, Harleen!"

She was suddenly aware of a presence on her leg. She turned as best as she could to see…

"Bruce."

"Shh, try not to move so much", he said. "I'm getting you out of there."

Harleen smiled with relief, but it didn't last long. She gasped as she saw what could only be Jerome's figure sneaking up behind Bruce.

"L-l-look-!"

Bruce grunted as the maniacal criminal grabbed him from behind. With a yell of effort, Bruce flipped him up and over his shoulders. Jerome laughed and grasped Bruce's ankle, pulling him down with him.

"Been here along, huh, Brucie?" he said, chuckling. "You know how I hate to be kept waiting."

Bruce shook free and kicked him in the mouth, earning another cackle from the insane ginger. Jim Gordon, gun positioned, noticed the two fighting.

"Jerome Valeska!" he shouted, and they stopped.

"Harleen!" Bruce shouted. "She needs a doctor!"

"You shouldn't be here, Bruce!"

Bruce gasped as Jerome drew his knife and pressed it to his neck.

"You really should've listened to your elders, kid", he hissed.  
Just sayin'."

 **That's it for now, guys! This story is nearing its end, but keep a lookout for more Gotham fanfics to come your way. Special thanks to LieutenantPayne233, and congratulations! You are my first request! They have asked I write a special story about their Gotham OC and have been so thoughtful to include the entire plot and backstory for me, so I'll tell you right now, though it may take some time, that is the next project I will be working on. Thank you all so much for your continued support, and I will see you soon!**

 **-Imagigirl20**


	9. Chapter 9

**Criminal Witness**

 **Chapter 9**

 **Hello again! So I have decided to take advantage of the extra time I have and go ahead and post TWO new chapters today! I actually came up with exactly how I wanted to end this story this afternoon, so I am almost done! I am also trying to speed things along because I have received my first request and want to try to get started on that right away. Anyway, enjoy!**

Bruce struggled to maintain control of his breathing as Jerome pressed the knife to his windpipe.

"How many times have we been here before, Bruce?" he said, chuckling.

"Drop the knife, Jerome!" Gordon demanded. "Let him go!"

"Or what, Jimbo? You gonna shoot me?"

Gordon aimed his gun.

"Well, go ahead. But you might hit the girl."

He dragged Bruce backwards and to the side so Jim could see Harleen lying in a puddle of blood.

"Oh, my God", he said. "Harleen."

Jerome smiled sadistically.

"Well, thanks to you, Jim, we need to find a new hideout", said Jerome, sighing.

He kept a firm grip on Bruce as he walked back to the front of the cage.

"And, of course, our old friend Bruce will be keeping us company."

"Like hell, he will", said Gordon, and took a step forward.

"Ah-ah-ah!"

Bruce gagged as the knife was pressed in even further, and Jim froze.

"That's more like it", said Jerome. "Now, call off your dogs."

Gordon looked to Bruce, and then to Harleen, and then to Jerome, who pulled Bruce's hair back, causing him to wince. Gordon sighed and took out his walkie.

"This is Captain Jim Gordon", he said. "Stand down. I repeat, stand down."

The fight around the campground diminished, and then ceased completely.

…

Harleen could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Beads of sweat dripped off her forehead, and she struggled to breathe. She heard someone shout, and raised her head a little to see two figures in front of her. She saw what she could only imagine was Bruce Wayne being held by Jerome at knifepoint. Across the distance, she saw a dark shape holding something in its hands. Detective Gordon.

"Gotta help", she thought, and clawed at the straw with her bloody hands.

Harleen's knees buckled as she pulled herself up to a sitting position. She bit her lip to keep from screaming at the pain it caused her and looked around, her blood-soaked fingers fumbling in the hay. Just then, she spotted something and grabbed it.

…

"Let the kid go, Jerome", Gordon called.

"Haven't you been paying attention, Jimbo?" said Jerome. "What are you, hard of hearing or something? He comes with **me**."

"Do what he says", Bruce gasped. "Just leave me and get Harleen out of here, she needs a hospital!"

Jerome tightened his grip on the boy as Gordon spotted movement in the cage. Harleen caught his eye and nodded slightly. Catching on, Gordon blinked once.

"Alright!" he said, raising his hands. "You can take Bruce. Just let me get Harleen to a doctor, please."

"Why not?" said Jerome. "Like I said, she's not _nearly_ as much fun as Brucie. Gun on the ground."

Gordon did as he was told.

"Slowly, now. Don't try anything."

Gordon complied, keeping his hands raised as he made his way over to the cage. Soon, he was standing face to face with Jerome.

"Bruce, duck!" he shouted, and the boy crouched down.

WHAM! Jerome was struck in the back of the head, and he fell to the ground out cold. Harleen stood over him, the discarded bone in her bloodied hand. She dropped it, her eyes rolling into the back of her head, and fell back in the straw.

"She's bleeding out!" said Jim, crouching beside Jerome.

He noticed a trickle of blood from Bruce's neck.

"Bruce, are you alright?"

Bruce nodded.

"He has to have a key somewhere", he said, and he and Gordon began to search Jerome.

They soon found it tucked away in his coat pocket and ran to the cage door.

"Come on, come on!" said Gordon, struggling to get it open.

Finally the latch clicked, and they both ran inside.

"Harleen!" Bruce cried, kneeling down beside her.

The girl was unconscious.

"She's lost too much blood", said Jim, holding his head down. "Paramedics are ten minutes out. I don't think she's gonna make it."

"I can take her in my car", said Bruce. "It's faster than any ambulance, and I won't let her die."

"Are you sure you can get her there in time?"

"I'm sure. Besides, you need to stay and help wrangle the circus animals."

"You're right."

He helped Bruce pick Harleen up and walk her out of the cage.

"You got her?"

"Yeah."

Jim ran back over to his gun and picked it up.

"We'll meet you at the hospital", he said as he handcuffed Jerome to the cage bars. "Go!"

Bruce tightened his grip on Harleen and ran with her towards his car. He failed to notice a dark figure pursuing him.

 **Kind of short, but I try to make my chapters nice and even. If I had the capacity to keep my eyes open, I would go ahead and write the last chapter, but it'll have to be done another day (possibly tomorrow, after work). The next chapter I post will be the last. If you have enjoyed what you've read so far, shoot me a review! I just love reading and responding to them. Goodnight, everybody!**

 **-Imagigirl20**


	10. Chapter 10

**Criminal Witness**

 **Chapter 10**

 **And here we are! It's the final chapter! Once again, I do appreciate your continued support, and now I realize I must do something I usually fail to do.**

 **So, for this chapter and all others I didn't post it, disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to Gotham, nor any of the characters within it, only the characters I have created.**

 **Thank you, and enjoy!**

Bruce's pace slowed as he neared the edge of the forest where his car was parked. Finally, he saw the matte black Ford Mustang come into view. And gently placed Harleen on the trunk, hurrying to open the back door.

"Hold on", he said to her, gathering her in his arms again. "Please, hold on."

Once she was secure in the back, he made to move to the driver's side door, when suddenly someone grabbed him and tossed him to the side. Bruce hit the ground on his side, crying out in pain, but he caught sight of someone going for Harleen and growled. Picking himself up, he threw his weight into the figure, plowing into his side and knocking him down. The figure quickly recovered and whirled on Bruce, pressing his hands to his throat and holding his head down to the ground.

Bruce coughed and wheezed, gasping for breath.

"Please", he choked. "Please, she's gonna die! Let me...save her!"

"That's enough, Ubu!"

The figure immediately released Bruce and went to stand beside another one who had emerged. Ra's al Ghul stepped into the moonlight.

"Hello, Bruce", he said.

…

As the last of Jerome's followers were loaded into the back of a police van they all chanted, "Long live Jerome!"

"Hey, you know what you guys _should_ be saying?" said Bullock. "Goodbye, parol!"

He slammed the doors shut.

"Get 'em outta here!"

Gordon ran over to him.

"That's the last of the crazies", said Bullock. "Did we manage to get any of the other party?"

"Everyone from the League of Shadows has escaped", said Gordon.

"Where's the girl?"

"Bruce said he could get to the hospital faster than anyone."

"And you believed him?"

"I believe he wants to save Harleen's life as much as anybody, yeah."

"Alright, you're the boss."

"What about Jerome? Has he been picked up yet?"

"Nah, he's still right over there where you left 'im. Seems to find this whole thing hilarious, I can't get him to shut up."

Gordon went back over to the cage, where Jerome was laughing his head off maniacally. He crouched down over the ginger.

"It's over, Jerome", he said. "You've lost."

"Oh, no, Jimbo", said Jerome. "I'm not done yet. I've only just begun. As I once told you before, you ain't seen NOTHIN' yet!"

With that, he burst into another fit of laughter as Gordon cuffed his hands behind his back and led him away.

…

"Who are you?" Bruce demanded. "What do you want?"

"I am Ra's al Ghul. You have, by now, probably heard of me."

Bruce nodded.

"What do you want with Harleen?"

"Ms. Quinzel has seen some things carried out by one of my men that she was not supposed to see. It was just one of those wrong-place-wrong-time scenarios, I believe you would call it."

"If you want her, you have to go through me!"

Ra's al Ghul smiled.

"Your commitment to the hero facade is quite admirable, Bruce", he said. "You've no idea of the man you will become because of it. But, alas, time grows short."

He glanced over at Harleen in the backseat.

"I'd say she only has mere minutes now."

"Let me save her", said Bruce, "and then you can have me."

"That won't be necessary, Bruce. I fully intend on allowing you to rush Ms. Quinzel to the hospital, but I need something from you in return."

"What? What do you want?"

"I shall call off the pursuit of Ms. Quinzel, if you agree to not look into the League of Shadows. You see, Bruce, you have a very dark future ahead of you, and we will reveal ourselves in due time. But for now, we wish to remain in the shadows, if you will. So, can I trust you to let bygones be bygones?"

He held out his hand. Bruce thought for a second, and then shook it.

"Fine", he said. "I'll drop my investigation."

"Very good."

Ra's turned to go, Ubu following behind.

"I look forward to further encounters with you, Bruce, but I do leave you with a word of caution."

He turned around.

"Sometimes, the most dangerous of foes can be found right under your nose."

With that, he and Ubu disappeared into the darkness. Bruce didn't hesitate. He ran to the driver's side door, yanked it open, and burned rubber.

…

Harleen was vaguely aware of her surroundings. She drifted in and out of consciousness as Bruce sped her to the hospital, running red lights and taking sharp turns.

"I am bleeding all over this kid's car", she thought. "He's gonna kill me, if I don't die tonight."

Harleen lurched forward as the tires screeched. They had arrived. She fell asleep again.

…

"Help!" Bruce called, carrying Harleen's unconscious form. "Someone help!"

"What do we got?" said a nurse, rushing to his aid.

"She's bleeding out", said Bruce. "She's lost a lot of blood, already."

"I remember this girl", said another nurse. "Got hit by a car about a week ago."

"Alright, let's get a gurney here!" said the first nurse, and one was wheeled in. Bruce carefully placed Harleen down and followed them down the hallway.

"Get some gauze!" the second nurse shouted. "We gotta stop this bleeding."

Another nurse cut Harleen's shirt and pressed a cloth to the injury, absorbing the blood in seconds.

"Let's move, Trauma 1!"

Bruce was stopped by another nurse as they entered the double doors.

"Is she gonna be alright?"

"It's too soon to tell, kid", said the nurse beside him. "You may not have gotten her here in time."

…

Gordon and Bullock found Bruce in the waiting room with his head between his hands.

"Bruce."

The boy looked up and walked over to them.

"How's Harleen?"

"They haven't told me anything since I brought her in."

"Where's your butler, kid?" said Bullock.

"I snuck out of the mansion."

Gordon held out his cell phone.

"You need to call and let him know you're alright."

Bruce nodded, and walked away to make the call.

"Harleen Quinzel?"

A nurse walked up to the detectives with a clipboard. Gordon nodded.

"Are you her father?"

"No, I'm Captain Jim Gordon of the GCPD."

"I see. Well, detective, Ms. Quinzel has lost a lot of blood. Now, we were able to stop her from bleeding out any further, but she is going to need a blood transfusion."

"How long will that take?"

"Well, you see, that's the problem. Ms. Quinzel has a very rare blood type, A-B Negative. Only .06% of the world's population has it."

"Damn", said Gordon.

"Normally we would use the O-Negative supply, but due to the extent of her injury, she could have a violent reaction. She needs A-B Negative blood, and soon, or we are going to lose her."

Gordon sighed, resting his hand on the wall.

"How long does she have?"

"I'd say about less than three hours."

"Son of a bitch."

Bullock snapped his fingers, clearly annoyed.

"What is it, Harvey?"

"Believe it or not, you and I both know someone with A-B Negative blood."

"We do? Who?"

"You're not gonna like it, partner. Not one bit."

…

Jerome Valeska smiled as he was taken out of the police van.

"It's pretty funny, huh?" he said as Gordon took ahold of his cuffed hands. "Here you said I was done, and now you need me to save someone's life."

"Zip it, clown", said Bullock. "As soon as they're done extracting your blood, you're goin' right back to Arkham, where you belong."

"Anything you say, Detective Bullock", said Jerome, chuckling.

…

Two hours later, the transfusion had been completed and Jerome was taken back into custody. Bruce, Alfred, Gordon and Bullock sat in the waiting room. A nurse walked up to them, clipboard in hand, and they all stood up. The nurse smiled.

"She'll be okay", she said. "She's responding well to the new supply."

Bruce sighed with relief and gave Alfred a hug.

"You saved that girl's life, mate", said Alfred. "You know that?"

"Actually-"

They turned to see Jerome suddenly standing behind the nurse.

"THAT credit goes to me. You're welcome."

He grabbed the nurse, pressing a scalpel to her throat.

"No!" Bruce cried, rushing forward.

"See you soon, Brucie."

In one swift slice, the nurse started bleeding out.

"Get after him!" said Bullock, leading two officers in pursuit.

Gordon knelt down beside the nurse.

"We need some help, over here!" he yelled.

Hospital patrons panicked and ran amok, fleeing for their lives.

"Damn it, get some help!" Gordon yelled to another nurse, who rushed off to find a doctor.

But it was no use. The nurse choked out a final breath and then lay still.

…

Gordon got up from his desk as Harvey came up the stairs.

"No sign of Jerome", he said, plopping into a seat. "Guy completely vanished."

"I'm sure he'll be back", said Jim, sitting back down, "but at least he did help us save Harleen's life."

"Well, to be fair, we didn't give him much of a choice."

Gordon chuckled and glanced at his watch. 12: 43 am.

"You go on home, partner", said Harvey. "I'll finish up here."

Gordon nodded his thanks and threw on his coat, walking down the stairs and out of the GCPD.

…

 **Two Weeks Later**

Harleen sat at a desk at Gotham U., finishing a form.

"Harleen, come on, girl!" someone called from the doorway. "You're gonna miss the party!"

"Almost done", she called.

Her mind drifted back to when she had woken up in the hospital bed.

…

 _The nurses told her she'd had to have a blood transfusion to save her life, but they wouldn't tell her who had donated their blood to her._

" _Sorry, Ms. Quinzel", said the nurse, "but the donor wished to remain anonymous."_

 _Harleen sighed._

" _Well, maybe I'll run into them someday", she said._

 _She suddenly spotted a rose by her bedside table, along with a note._

" _What's this?" she said, smiling._

" _Oh, some boy left that for you", said the nurse on her way out. "Said he wanted you to see it as soon as you woke up."_

 _Harleen nodded her thanks and picked up the note, unfolding it. Her eyebrows raised and she froze as she read its contents._

 _ **Hey there, gorgeous. It's me, Jerome. How ya feeling? No doubt, a lot better after getting some new blood pumping in your system. MY blood, to be exact. Don't worry, it's not contagious, or laced with anything. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I'm actually glad you're okay, because whether you want to believe it or not, I sensed a darkness in you, Harleen, as deep as my own. Now, it may take some time to truly manifest, but eventually, you'll see it, too. You will embrace the darkness, and it will be wonderful. For now, be sure to get some rest, doll face, and I'll see you around.**_

 _ **Love,**_

 _ **Jerome.**_

 _Harleen balled the note in her hands. Her first instinct was to toss it and the rose into the trash, but then Jerome's words started to sink in. She thought about everything she had been through the last few days, and of Ra's al Ghul's warning to Bruce: "The most dangerous of foes can be found right under your nose."_

 _Bruce Wayne had saved her life, and Jerome wanted to kill him. She could never be like Jerome, dark and murderous. And yet, she raised the flower to her nose, took a deep breath, and sighed contentedly. After all, it was a shame to let a perfectly good flower go to waste._

…

"Come ON, Harleen!" the voice from the doorway called again. "It's the party of the century!"

"I said, I'll be right there!" Harleen snapped, whirling around. "Maybe you have time to go off and waste your days partying,Tracy, but I am actually trying to focus on my future, here!"

"Jeez, okay! What's _your_ problem?"

As the person walked away, Harleen turned back to the desk, her eyes scanning over everything she had written. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard as she typed her closing statement:

 **In conclusion, I believe I would be a perfect candidate for this internship, as I promise to commit myself to working hard and learning all that I can of this subject.**

 **Thank you for your time and consideration.**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Harleen Quinzel.**

Harleen sighed and hit Send. A message popped up on the screen:

 **Thank you for your submission! We will review your application and get back with you as soon as we can.**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Arkham Asylum**

Harleen's lips curved into a smile.

 **BOOM! How's THAT for a twist ending? Setting in stone the inevitable fate of one Harley Quinn. Thank you so much for reading, and please keep an eye out for future projects. I hope you enjoyed it! Feel free to shoot me a review.**

 **-Imagigirl20**


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